by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Garafolo, USA TODAY Sports

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Tony Gonzalez has maintained all along that he was 95% sure he would retire after this season, with that other 5% leaving him wiggle room in case he changed his mind.

Apparently, it's a sliding scale. The probability is shrinking that the Atlanta Falcons tight end will be back for a 17th NFL season after a 30-28 victory Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks - the first career postseason win for Gonzalez - nudged him closer to the brink of leisure.

"He told me today he's moving up to 97% sure after that win last week," Falcons backup tight end Michael Palmer said Thursday. "From what I can get from him, if we win the Super Bowl, I think he'll ride off into the sunset."

Later, during his news conference, Gonzalez said he's still at 95% - until he was informed Palmer had dropped the news of the 2% uptick.

"Palmer's got a big mouth, huh? Yeah, I'm going to get him for that," Gonzalez said. "After last week, it probably went up a couple of percentage points, and maybe if we get this win, it'll go up to 99%."

The next postseason win, which would come in Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, would be the second of Gonzalez's career. The first came in agonizing fashion - a blown 20-point lead in the fourth quarter requiring a late 49-yard field goal by Matt Bryant, set up by a 19-yard catch by Gonzalez.

After Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's touchdown with 31 seconds left, it seemed Gonzalez would suffer his sixth postseason loss in six games. He was shaking his head and looking toward his family in the crowd. They were shaking their heads, too.

Now, Gonzalez is shaking his head in amazement at what he might be able to do - go out on top.

"I spoke to (Michael) Strahan about it. He said, 'Yeah, that's the way you want to do it,'" Gonzalez said of the former New York Giants defensive end, who retired after the Giants won Super Bowl XLII. "That's every athlete's dream. Any professional athlete out there, it doesn't matter what sport it is, you would love to win a championship and leave. That's where I'm at."

Teammates and coaches are trying to persuade him to change his mind.

"I told him if we win it, he has to defend it," running back Michael Turner said. "He's never been in that position before. That would be something new for him. ... I just try to give him little challenges every year."

Players have been talking all week about Gonzalez's mind-set on the practice field and how even one drop in the middle of the week angers him.

Gonzalez, who says he could play another three years at a "high level," said the intensity of his preparation and workouts (he has been known to catch 100 to 200 passes after practices) increased after he had 17 drops in his second NFL season.

According to ProFootballFocus.com, he had four drops this season, tying him with teammate Roddy White for the second fewest among players targeted 100 times or more.

"I compare it to when you watch those old Kung Fu movies and you see the guy with the long beard. The toughest fighter is not usually the young guy. It's the old guy who's been around for a long time," Gonzalez said. "I figure I'm like that."

Except there's not a gray hair to be found on his head of full, dark locks - which should set him up well for a career he seems 100% intent on pursuing soon.

"Probably do some television, talk about football, staying in the game a little bit, like a lot of players do," Gonzalez said. "So any network out there, I'm free next year."